A Moment in Time
by CHDEbee2
Summary: Elizabeth encounters some unexpected people while visiting her friend Charlotte One shot


Elizabeth Bennet was just heading back from a walk on a warm Spring morning in Kent. She rounded a bend in the trail and came upon the parsonage. As per her friend's request she walked in through the back door, deciding not to bother any one about the house. As Elizabeth headed down the hallway to her friend's back parlour, it struck her that she must not have properly examined the back hall in detail, for to her eyes there seemed to be things missing, the shelves were more bare than she had thought them to be. Maybe Charlotte was getting a head start on the Spring cleaning.

"That's odd…" she mumbled to herself, she could have sworn Charlotte had written that they'd decorated this hall with green paper, not the pale yellow that was currently on the walls.

I must be thinking of someone else decorating their home with green wallpaper, she thought. While examining herself and fixing a loose piece of hair in the mirror she heard the sound of voices coming from Charlotte's parlour and did attempt to ignore the excitable voices coming from within. When that proved difficult, she chose to pick up a book from the small inset bookcase adjacent to the door, in attempts to distract her mind and not fall into the sin she considered grievous within her own household: eavesdropping.

"Oh Charlotte, it is truly such a joy! I couldn't have imagined myself so happy!"

"Now Lizzy, did I not tell you in this very parlour four years ago, that the stares meant something"

"Hush now, when did you become such a tease!"

"Perhaps I am making up for the two years in which we have had correspondence only through letters. Now sit, I must go out to help spare your husband the raptures of mine"

"Thank you Charlotte, I'm sure he will appreciate the sensible conversation!"

There was a chuckle before the sound of a door opening and closing. Elizabeth decided at this time it would be appropriate to head into the parlour and meet this mysterious lady Charlotte was acquainted with, for a strange feeling was picking away at Lizzy about the whole dialogue which she could not put her finger on.

Lizzy placed her hand on the door knob and entered, on a brief glance the parlour looked as it had the day before, but on closer inspection the small shelf seemed more full and the carpet darker, however these minor changes did not consciously take her notice as she looked upon the young woman in the room. Her back was to Lizzy at the moment but her dark hair was done up very nicely indeed and she wore a blue gown of very fine fabric, telling of fortune, but not gaudy or audacious. Lizzy thought she looked very splendid indeed.

A gasp was heard from the doorway and both women turned at the sound. There stood Mr. Darcy looking surprised, beyond surprised and truly shocked, gaping at her as if she was a spectacle!

Lizzy turned to look at the other woman in the room and felt as if she understood Mr. Darcy's expression, for she nearly fainted upon seeing _herself_ standing across the room.

* * *

The three occupants of the room continued to look between each other, nobody sure what to say or do.

Finally, Mr. Darcy seemed to regain his wits and spoke "Elizabeth, come here please" as he held out his hand whilst staring at her.

"Sir, I..I take offence to you using my christian name, I have not given you liberty to…to" Lizzy's sentence was cut short and silenced as the other woman, the other Elizabeth stepped sideways towards him, taking his hand, but never taking her eyes off of Lizzy.

As Elizabeth did this, she noticed the ring upon her left hand, one the Lizzy knew she did not own, resting upon the fourth finger.

"Goodness, what is going on here?" asked Elizabeth.

"I imagine dear, that we would all like to figure that out…" Mr. Darcy replied, all while maintaining eye contact with Lizzy.

All at once Mr. Darcy strode to the door, locked it in one swift movement and took two strides towards Lizzy. "I am not a superstitious man easily led to believe in magic, or witches, but kindly explain to me what you are doing here?"

Lizzy would not be intimidated by him, no matter how tall or authoritatively he spoke towards her. "I, I am here visiting my good friend Charlotte, who very recently married my cousin Mr. Collins. What Sir, may I ask are you doing here?" She asked, aggravated that _her _appearance should be questioned.

Mr. Darcy looked at her, taking in her facial expressions, tone and combative arguing. "How recently?" He asked, giving no other reply of his own. "I.. I beg your pardon?" Lizzy asked, not often one to be confused with a turn in conversation, something she was quite used to at home.

"How recently?" He repeated.

"How recently what? How recently have I taken leave of my senses?! Ha, this is in no way funny Mr. Darcy" Lizzy spoke angrily.

He looked slightly taken aback but replied gently. No no, how recently has Charlotte, Mrs. Collins, married your cousin?"

"Why, just three months ago, shortly after Christmas. You still have not answered what you are doing here, or why you are in the company of a woman who could be my identical twin!"

"Three months!" he exclaimed, looking towards the other Elizabeth, who also looked quite shocked. "Yes, now, I'd rather be so impertinent as to badger you with my questions sir, but what are you doing here?"

Darcy looked back at her, Lizzy and his gaze softened. "I am here to visit with my aunt Lady Catherine, and decided to stop into the parsonage before reaching Rosings" "Well, I concede on that issue, but who Mr. Darcy, is this woman?"

The man glanced behind him, smirked at Elizabeth and then turned to face Lizzy before replying in a most mischievous tone "Are you jealous?"

"Fitzwilliam!" It was the first time Elizabeth had spoken since the door had closed.

Lizzy hadn't been yet able to process everything happening to her and even more unable to process the exclamation her twin had just made. "Fitzwilliam?" Lizzy repeated, trying to find out what connection the word had to the rest of the conversation.

"Yes?" Mr. Darcy answered her.

"What on earth is a Fitzwilliam?" The question Lizzy posed was addressed to both of them. Elizabeth grinned, while Darcy actually laughed at this reply. Lizzy had never heard his laugh, or rarely even seen a smile upon his face but she had to admit that it suited him well.

"I…It's my christian name, Fitzwilliam, that is" Darcy replied, looking slightly less reassured than he normally did. It was Lizzy's turn to smirk. "Oh." Was all the reply she could manage, whilst attempting to keep a grin off her face in response to his first name. Her amusement allowed her to move on from him and focus on what she currently considered a more serious problem, a twin version of herself who seemed a little too familiar with Mr. Darcy.

"And who are you?" She asked the other Elizabeth. The woman looked cautious, as though weighing her words carefully before saying "I am Mrs. Darcy".

Lizzy turned back to Mr. Darcy, not quite believing her ears. "How extraordinary, I am no longer surprised Mr. Darcy, at your frequent staring while in company, although you might have mentioned that you had a courtship and now, marriage, with a woman who looks nearly identical to me. Something, I might add, is quite ironic!" The combative tone was back; and Mr. Darcy simply looked surprised at her.

"And why, might I ask is it ironic?" He asked politely.

At this Lizzy did smile, for she was ready to say what she had wanted to say to him since their first acquaintance, her overhearing his disparaging remarks about her beauty, setting her disapproval and dislike of his person from that moment until now. "I would say Mr. Darcy, a man such as yourself would want a beautiful wife to adorn his arm, and you have found one who looks much like a woman you consider merely tolerable"

Darcy sighed deeply and looked disgruntled while Elizabeth made a noise sounding much like a stifled laugh. "My wife," he started, "is the most beautiful woman I know" as he finished in a very heartfelt tone. Elizabeth looked tenderly at him, while Lizzy quickly dropped her eyes down to the ground, her cheeks flushed and burning.

"I'll say I was very determined to hold that comment against you" smiled Elizabeth. Lizzy made to start an apology towards the woman, though it was not her offense, when Lizzy looked up however, the other Elizabeth was not looking at or even speaking to her but to her husband Mr. Darcy. She was holding his arm, looking at him in a tender way that made it very clear theirs was a love match.

Finally, Elizabeth turned to Lizzy. "I know he made a rude comment in Hertfordshire, but trust me, he has changed since then, has more than made up for his remarks, otherwise I would not have married him" "Well, I am very happy for you both. It must have been a laugh hearing of a woman who looked so like yourself and now happening on a meeting, quite accidentally, with the same woman when it was likely our paths should never have crossed again"

Lizzy was almost laughing as she said this, it was too much, so comical that it almost wasn't. Darcy groaned and then sighed deeply again, looking at Elizabeth. "Dear…" She caught his look, held his gaze for a moment and nodded. She took a few small steps towards Lizzy, having stayed in one spot since their interaction began. She looked at Lizzy, steeling herself "I am Mrs. Darcy, previously Elizabeth Bennet of Hertfordshire"

* * *

Lizzy gasped and stumbled backwards, Mr. Darcy reached out and grasped her hand keeping her from falling over a small footstool. As soon as her balance was caught Lizzy dropped his hand. "Mr. Darcy is the last man I would ever be prevailed upon to marry!" Mr. Darcy's face crumpled, he looked genuinely upset for a man she knew to not have any regard for her. She determined to pay him no more attention and instead speak more with this other Elizabeth. Everything was too much, she sat down in one of Charlotte's chairs facing away from Mr. Darcy. The other Elizabeth, for she refused to think of this impostor or look a like of herself, as Mrs. Darcy, sat down in the chair across from her. Mr. Darcy stood behind her chair, laying a hand gently on her shoulder.

From there Elizabeth began to explain her history, Lizzy's future, explaining only that Mr. Darcy had indeed humbled himself, corrected his own errors of judgement and interference, her views in regard to certain individuals during the time spanning between now and their next meeting from Lizzy's current timeline.

She spoke with such fervour on his becoming a different and better man than he had been, a man she respected esteemed and who esteemed her person and also her looks, with that she smiled and turned to look back at her husband, who nodded in his assent to all these things. Lizzy was shocked, there was so much to take in, so many feelings coursing through her, she could hardly meet Mr. Darcy's eye, believing her future self, knowing full well she would become his wife, and he was suddenly looking much more handsome than he had ever been before, even more to her embarrassment. She was at least grateful neither Darcy was able to read her mind on that count.

"This has been very overwhelming" Lizzy stated.

"For me it was so gradual I hardly knew where it began"

"I think, Elizabeth, that it was first seeing my grounds at Pemberley, was it not?" Mr. Darcy said smiling at his wife.

"Incredible, you had left out that you taught such a serious man to tease" Lizzy herself teased.

"Oh no dear, that was all you! He has become much more practised under my tutelage though"

"Tutelage! Why between you and Georgiana it can most definitely be called harassment instead!" Elizabeth laughed.

"Anna, what a lovely name!" Lizzy mused wondering but not daring to ask who this other lady may be, she did not want to know too many details about their, or rather her, future after all.

Elizabeth smiled at her husband as he smiled back, squeezing her hand gently. Lizzy watched, smiling at the affection between the two of them.

* * *

There was a sudden knock on the door, Lizzy turned to look at it, when she looked back to the couple they were not there. The knocking continued. Lizzy had closed her eyes and reopened them to a familiar sight. Mr. Darcy was next to her on the settee.

"Oh Fitzwilliam, I just had the most absurd dream!"

"I can rightly imagine, you were mumbling a bit in your sleep and it has been a long time since I've heard my name spoken from you in so unaffectionate a tone my dear, so do tell me more about your dream"

She told him about it, encountering herself from nearly five years previously, given the context he was surprised he hadn't heard worse from her mutterings and at the end of the tale he laughed.

"Well, I'm certainly glad you managed to convince yourself to marry me, I'd say you almost did a better job at it than I did!" Laughing he pulled his wife closer to him. "I wonder at this becoming a habit though, these absurd dreams you have when you are with child"

He placed his hand on her belly, now starting to be noticeably protruding from her dress. She smiled at him, resting her hand upon his, knowing that the dream, while absurd wasn't totally useless.

* * *

Four months later, Anna Elizabeth Darcy was born, joining her older brother Bennet Richard Darcy only adding to the joy of their families and increasing the laughter within the halls of Pemberley.


End file.
